St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-15

for the remainder of that day, no matter
whether it be spent in travelling, pleas
ure-seeking or playing, goes crooked
after cross eyes are seen. linen, 100,
the dark gown of Sister OF Charity is an
unfavorable object, for lock at it will
ruin the opportunities for success that
the witness may have, and May Daven-
port, of the Boston Museum, wife of Will
lie Seymour, holds this to be true. When
she was in the company that supported
Edwin Booth three seasons ago she
went to Baltimore, where the tragedian
was about filling date, accompanied by
her husband en- route from Clncln-
natl When the train arrived at
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad depot
two Sisters of Charity were on the
platform, evidently awaiting the coming
in of a train. Mrs. Seymour saw
them and could not be induced to leave
the car lest bad luck should follow her.
For two hours she kept her seat while
the religious ladies paced patiently up
and down the passageWay until a train
brought them other members OF their
order whom they had come to meet.
Then Mrs. Seymour disemba1ked among
labyrinth of rails and switches, the
coach she was in having been side
tracked To touch humpback's hump
without the owner seeing you is to the
profession an act that will surely be re-
paid with good luck. Sad, indeed, will
be the manager who receives the first
ticket of admission to his entertainment
in the shape of a pass, for it augurs
that no profit viii be made that night
Equally unfortunate will it be if wo
man is the purchaser of the first
ticket sold, while negro, the blacker he
is the better, if he be the advance of the
audience, will be hailed with genuine
pleasure, though he only pays for
the most modest seat in the theatre,
for he is the precursor of big house"
So, too, with companies-they have their
"Mascots' and "Jonahs,' members who
are considered messengers of success or
failure. To have them in the one case or
the other is to experience moneymak-
ing trip or dismal wind-up of the en-
gagement.
The selection of these supposed omin-
GUS persons is made by the actors and
actresses with whom they are associated.
The reputation of the Mascot is not
as lasting as that of the Jonah"
Once an actor or actress is con-
sidered unlucky and dubbed a 40
nah," term applied to both sexes, he
or she is blamed for every unfortunate
turn affairs take, and as a result it is
only when there are no other avenues of
escape open that others of the profess
sion will have any business association
with them. The most prominent OF this
class is an operate prima donna, now
playing on the Pacific coast. 1t is no.
ticeable fact that every company
she has ever travelled with has
| come to bankruptcy, and managers
who have backed her enterprises
have, one after another, lost money.
Colonel John NcCaull, who had the
singer under contract, was so impressed
with her unlucky influences that after
trial he paid her bonus and allowed her
to go. The next manager who signed
her, though warned by his superstitious
brethren, was confident that the size of his
money pile and the Southern territory
through which his route was planned
were sufficiently strong to bring him
success. Before the season was ended
his bank account was swept away and
the organization of which the Jonah"
was prima donna was disbanded. The
matter what the denomination, without
lifting his hat. His impression was that
success followed the act.
Though not included in the category
of superstitious doings, peculiarities of
life and employment off the stage mark
some members of the profession equally
as strong as the confidence in signs stamps
Others Thus, for instance, the untiring
~ 4
mechanism. He owns patent for a
sleeping car berth, built after his own
fancy, which he claims must, by virtue of
its great worth, come in general use in
the future. The purpose of the in
vention is to prevent the berth from
closing and smothering its occupant
while TIE train is In motion.
Frank Chapman Is another who has
hobby for railroad patents and propelling
appliances for sailing vessels.
John A. Mackey, unquestionably the
foremost legitimate comedian on the En-
glish-speaking stage, contends in down.
right earnestness that he is not in his
professional element, that he should be
a comedian.
Harry Edwards, last season at Wal
lacks, New York, dotes on bugs and in
sects. He has an immense collection of
them.
Lawrence Barrett dislikes vegetables
and makes his meals principally on meats.
Lysander Thompson, since he studied
medicine, wants to give prescription
for everything and every one around any
theatre where he is.
John Burleigh, an ex-clergyman who
Joined the dramatic ranks, retains fea-
lures of his previous calling and is never
done exhortfhg his companions to religi-
GUS convictions. Louis Aldrich is fit
ting successor to the late John I. Ray
mond in matching pennies. He has
passion for that sort of gaming. The
theatrical world is indeed sua generls-
nothing like it in literary excellence and
dark minded conceits.
FELIX BARNLEY.